Game apparatus.



B. FRANKLIN.

GAME APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED SEPT.22. 1913.

l. MGU. Patented July 13, 1915.

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COLUMBIA PLANOLIRPH C0.. WASHINGTON. D. c.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

GAME APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent Patented July i3, 19H1 Application iled September 22, 1913. Serial No. 790,989.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, a citizen ot the United States, and a resident ot Chicago, in the county ot Cook and State ot Illinois, have invented certain new and usetul Improvements in Game Apparatus; and I do hereby declare that the tollowing is a tull, clear, and exact description thereot, reterence being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters ot reterence marked thereon, which torm a part ot this specification. i

This invention relates to a game apparatus designed to attord interesting and instructive amusement and at the same time develop the skill ot the player.

The apparatus consists essentially ot a board or support upon which a geographical course is pictured, such, tor example, as the Panama Canal, suitably spaced tor the purposes ot the game, and a plurality ot objects or pieces with which to play. rIhe course is laid out in a manner approximating the true course ot the Panama Canal, and in order to instruct as well as to increase the interest ot the player, the space on each side ot the course is pictured to illustrated the topography ot the countrv through which the canal passes, namely, the Canal Zone.

In the drawingszFigure 1 represents a plan view ot the board or support with the course depicted thereon. Fig. 9. is a view, in side elevation, ot pieces, preferably ot a torm to represent .hips, and with `which pieces the game is played upon the canal` course in accordance with the rules ot the game. i

Reterring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 5 indicates a board or other supporting device, having pictured upon it a geographical map, illustrating the Panama Canal Zone, 6, and adjacent territorv.

7 indicates (on a scale exaggerated as to its width) the Panama Canal laid out as a course tor the play by a series ot substantially parallel lines with spaces a ot equal length. That is to say, said spaces may represent miles, halt miles or other equal sul divisions ot the total length ot the canal., In this instance, miles are indicated and torty-six spaces are used, this being the approximate length ot the Panama Canal, said spaces being numbered consecutively on broth sides ot the course trom 1-46, inclusive, one set ot numerals starting with lthe numerall at one terminal ot, or entrance to the canal, and the other set ot numerals starting trom the other terminal. Near one end Y? ot the canal 7, one ot the spaces, that marked 0, is selected and suitably marked to represent the Gatun locks, and at an equal distance trom the other end b ot the canal 7 is a similar space (Z, similarly marked to represent the Miraflores locks. Intermediate the spaces c, l are certain ot the spaces, e and f, tor example, selected to represent the only places in the canal where the ships moving in opposite directions may pass each other with satety.

In connection with the board or support 5, I provide suitable playing` devices. In the instance shown, there are two sets, g and ot such devices, each representing a ship, and there are three devices in each set, although two or more devices may be comprised in each set. The two sets ot devices g, 71, should be ot distinguishing shape or ornamentation, and said pieces or ships are also provided with indicating means representing a iixed rate ot speed tor each piece or ship. I tind it convenient to provide said space indicating means in the torm ot pegs representing tunnels, the same being adaptable tor grasping when moving the pieces. For example, in Fig. 2 is illustrated a set ot three ships, one ship having one tunnel, another having two tunnels and the other having three tunnels. The said tunnels indicate that the device or ship can travel on the canal course in one move only, the number ot spaces corresponding to the number ot tunnels on the moving ship. For exam ple, a ship having one tunnel can travel only at the rate ot one'mile in a given period ot time and this travel in the game will be represented by moving that' ship only one space, while thev ship having two tunnels and thus capable ot traveling two miles in the same time will be moved two spaces only, and similarly the three tunnel ship may be moved three spaces in each move or play.

` The game is played in the following mann ner: The contestants being at opposite ends ot the canal, each having all ot his pieces or ships ready to enter the canal at that entrance, the object ot the game is tor one ot the players to move his three ships through the canal betore his opponent can move his through in the opposite direction. The players move in turn one ship at a time or play,

and each player' must get his rst played ship through the locks nearest his entrance end of the canal before starting another ship into the canal. Each ship is moved only the space or spaces corresponding to its spaced or indicated rate of travel, but each ship must enter each of the locks when reached. For example, if a. player starts from the Bay of Panama with a three mile ship'7 or a ship moving three spaces a at each play, his irst play will 'land the ship into the space numbered 3 and his second play will land the ship in the space numbered 6. The third play will not be to the space 9 but only to the space representing the llliraiores locks, as each ship must enter and pass through both locks. In the subsequent plays, however, this ship may be moved its regular three spaces at a time until it reaches the Gatun locks, into which it must go, and then pass on at its regular speed. Similar' stops must be made with similar other ships, butno two ships can occupy a lock at the same time. The ships V of each set move toward each other, that is to say, in opposite directions. Should they meet on either of the .safe to pass spaces e or f, theymay so remain without penalty.

However, if a player has a ship movingr with sufficient speed that he can move it up from the space it last occupied to the space occupied by one of the ships of his opponent, the latter will have to retire his ship :trom the canal course to the starting point and begin all over again with that' ship. The retiring` of an opponents ship is discretionary with the player making the retiring move, forA he may have other objects in view, as for instance, to retire the said ship with one of his other ships. A ship which has been retired to the starting point must reenter the canal and proceed as before, and should it reach a space a occupied by one of the opponents ships, the latter may be similarly retired. Two ships of the same set may occupy the same space (except a lock) at one time, and in this event they constitute a blockade,7 thus preventing the opponents ship from moving beyond the space so occupied. This blockade may be heldV indeinitely excepting in the event of the opponent seeking to pass the blockadey with one of his ships and is without a possible move with either of his other ships. In such case, TWhen one contestant is holding blockade by two ships of his set, his third ship must be kept moving. Shouldvv a player succeed inpassing two of his ships through the canal, and his one remaining ship be retired to the starting point by his opponent, he can, if Ahe so desires, substitute one of his ships already through thecanal for thev one retired before it renters the canal. Such privilege can occur only once during the the blockade must be broken..

game. The game proceeds, the contestants playing alternately, until one set of ships is entirely through the canal and then the game may be called. The game may be played in tournament form for points in this manner. For instance, should one player safely move his entire set of ships through the canal, and the other player have one ship on the canal and needs to mofe that ship only five more spaces to have finished his entire trip through the canal, the player who has won thc game would be entitled to one point for each space that his opponent has yet to go. Should his opponent have two ships upon the board, one having five spaces to go and one having nine spaces to go, the player would then be credited with fourteen points. In this manner several players may play in tournament with an objective number of points in view.

Any number of ships may be used and there may be two or more contestants on each side, but in no event can more than one ship be moved at a time, or that moved to a greater number of spaces in one play than the indicated speed of the ship.

During the progress of the game, the following rules must be observed:

Each ship must enter both locks and only one ship may occupy a lock at one time.

Each ship of each set must enter and pass through the lock nearest the ships starting point before another ship of the saine set may enter the canal.

Should a ship moving in one direction during the course of the play be caused to move upon a space occupied by the opponents ship, the opponents ship is retired to starting at the discretion of the player making the move. This rule applies to all spaces excepting the lock spaces and the spaces safe to pass.

A ship having been sent back to the starting point is allowed to reenter the canal, and should its rst move cause it to alight on a space occupied by one of the opponents ships, the opponents ship is retired to his starting point. f

Two ships of one set may occupy any space other than a lock space at one time, thus forming a blockade. A blockade must be broken, however, when the opponent is unable to move any of his ships.

Should a player pass two of his ships through the canal, and his remaining ship is sentA back to renter the canal, he may substitute one of his ships already through for the one sent back, but this privilege may be exercised only once by that contestant during the: game.

I am aware of the game called pachisi in which a spaced course is provided over whichy a number of pieces of men of a similar' value, are moved, the movement of each piece being governed by chance, such as the throwing of dice. Such a game is quite different from my game where each piece along the course is governed by a predetermined value and is adapted to be moved along a course having two starting points, one starting point being the objective point for the other contestant, and vice versa, and where the movement ofueach piece along the course is governed by a predetermined value of its own, thus bringing into the play the exercise of strategy not found in games where the movement of each piece is governed by chance.

The board or support upon which the course is depicted may be of any shape or any convenient material, but I prefer a folding cardboard, such as commonly used for games. The pieces may be of any desired material or form, but I prefer the contour of a ship, and while the rate of travel may be indicated by numeral or other wise, I prefer to use one or more funnels, as above stated.

The geographical course may be depicted by printing or otherwise directly upon the board or support of paper, linen or other fabric, and the latter aiiixed to one side of the board or support. Desirably, the course is depicted in appropriate colors.

Having described my improved game apparatus and the manner of its use in playing the game, I claim as my invention:

l. A game comprising a board or support, upon one surface of which is depicted a course having a plurality of starting points and a plurality of objective points, said course being divided into a plurality of equal spaces, a plurality of pieces adapted for movement on said spaces, each of said pieces being provided with means indicating the number of spaces said piece may travel at one time or move in the play.

Q. A game apparatus comprising a board or support upon which is depicted a course having a plurality of starting points and a plurality of objective points, said course being divided into a plurality of spaces of equal width, sets of pieces adapted for movement on said spaces toward each other, each piece of each set being provided with means indicating the number of spaces each piece is allowed to move at one time, the starting point of one set of pieces being the objective point of the other set of pieces.

3. A game apparatus comprising a board or support, upon which is depicted a course having a starting and a finishing point at each end thereof, spaces of equal width along the said course which are numbered consecutively from each starting point, sets of pieces adapted for movement on the said numbered spaces toward each starting point of the course, certain spaces of the course being penalty spaces where each piece must stop and pass before another piece is started on the beginning of the course and other spaces intermediate said stop spaces, upon which said pieces may rest without penalty.

In testimony, that I, claim the foregoing as my invention I aiiiX my signature in the presence of two witnesses, this 17th day of September A. D. 1913.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN.

Witnesses T. I-I. ALFREDS, KARL M. DOLL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

